Part 23 (2/2)

Rempel smiled ”Indeed, it is not. That's Ally, short for B B Allusion, a chestnut copper marc, just visiting.” When Breanna still looked blank, he said ”A horse. A member of one of my ancestral species.”

”Oh.” Breanna said, embarra.s.sed. ”Like a night mare. only less magical.”

”For sure.” Edsel agreed.

Rempel suddenly galloped to the edge of the lake. ”Away! Away!” he cried, splas.h.i.+ng the water with his forehoofs.

Edsel and Breanna walked across to see what was going on. There was only a rather blobby sea creature feeding on what looked like weeds at the edge.

”This is Hugh.” Rempel said. ”He is a manatee. Sometimes the sharks come after him. Then I have to drive them off.”

”Apatibilities seemed otherwise ”

”Opposites attract,” Breanna said. ”So I'm attracted to Justin Tree. I'm young and he's old.” She glanced around. ”And we are involuntary baby-sitters for these two half demon children.”

”For sure.” Monica said, mimicking her.

”Do you have any advice on the best route to the mountains?” Edsel asked.

”The path forks.” Rempel said. ”You will want to take the right path, to avoid mischief and find warmer clothing.”

”For sure.” Breanna agreed, as the children t.i.ttered. ”Thank you.”

”If you get on the wrong path, you will need both your talents, for there will be darkness and magic to be deflected.”

”Thanks,” Edsel said. They walked back to rejoin the others.

”This is a beautiful place.” Pia said. ”Justin has been pointing out its novelties. For example, there's a chemis-tree.”

They looked. The tree's fruit seemed to be in the form of colored fluids in little beakers.

”And a water chestnut tree.” Pia said, indicating another. The nuts were in the shape of damp little chests.

”You are becoming a naturalist.” Edsel remarked.

”I really am.” she agreed. ”I never cared, before I met Justin. He's teaching me so much.”

”We have to get moving, if we want to catch the mountains today.” Breanna said. Her voice seemed just a trifle tight.

Justin called to Gabriel and Alexandra. ”Do you wish to ride farther with us?”

”No thanks,” Gabriel called back. ”We like it here.”

”Maybe we'll get married,” Alexandra agreed. Then the two of them dived back into the lake.

”It's definitely working out.” Pia said. ”In the Xanthly way.”

They got into the boat. The duck feet carried them along the path up the river ”We need to take the - ” Edsel began.

”Oh look!” Pia cried. ”There's an adder ” She reached for a nearby snake.

”Oooo, great!” Monica exclaimed.

”But that's poisonous!” Edsel protested.

Too late Pia caught the snake and lifted it into the boat. Edsel kicked desperately around for a stick, but there wasn't even a paddle.

”What's two plus two?” Pia asked the snake as the children crowded close.

The adder struck at the side of the boat. There was the sharp bong of a h.e.l.l. Now there was a mark on the wood: the number four. Edsel relaxed. It was after all harmless.

Pia lifted the adder and set it outside the boat. It slithered away. She glanced back at Edsel. ”What were you saying?”

”Just that we should lake the right path.”

”Did we take the wrong one?” Justin asked. ”There was a pitchfork back near where we saw the adder.”

”A pitchfork?” Edsel asked, concerned.

”From a pine needle tree, technically. The smallest needles make tuning forks, the middle ones make pitchforks for farmers to use. and the largest make forks in the road. They are all sizes of pitchforks, really.”

So a pine needle tree could make a fork in the road. Now he got the punnish logic of it. And they had pa.s.sed right through that fork while distracted by the adder. Should he ask Para to go back and check that fork?

An awful shape loomed behind them. ”Haaa!” it roared. It looked like a centaur, except that it had black horns, bat wings, red skin, and green stripes.

”What is that?” Edsel asked, more than concerned.

”It's a demon centaur,” Breanna said ”This is mischief.” She faced forward. ”Get moving. Para; we're in trouble.”

”Great.” Ted said.

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